A unique tunable polarimetric scatterometry system has been developed by upgrading a Schmitt Measurement
Systems Complete Angle Scatter Instrument (CASI) to produce a Dual-Rotating-Retarder full-Mueller-matrix
polarimeter. The system has been enhanced by automation, addition of multiple, tunable, laser light sources, an
improved sample positioning and orientation interface, and enhanced data-analysis software. A primary application of
this system is the characterization of novel nano- and micro-structured materials, such as photonic crystals, plasmonic
structures and optical meta-materials, which often display very narrow-band performance. The ability to characterize
these materials both at and away-from their resonances is a clear advantage. The specific project goals are to
demonstrate (1) a novel nano- and micro-structured-material-characterization full-polarimetric-diffuse-ellipsometry
technique suitable to measure desired material properties with stated uncertainty limits for novel optical material
structures of interest, and (2) the incorporation of predictive computational codes that estimate the electro-magnetic
property values for novel nano- and micro-structured-material designs and concepts of interest.